7 April 2011: The Secretariat of the Convention on Wetlands of International Importance (Ramsar Secretariat) has reported that the Governments of Romania and Indonesia have designated new Wetlands of International Importance.

The Romanian site is the Iron Gates Natural Park, which is located in South West Romania and is listed as a Natural Park. It is a potential Transboundary Ramsar Site, bordering the Republic of Serbia along the course of the Danube river. It is mostly covered by forest that is interspersed with streams and freshwater pools.

Indonesia designated two new Wetlands of International Importance, the Rawa Aopa Watumohai and the Sembilang National Parks, bringing that country’s Ramsar Sites total to five. The Rawa Aopa Watumohai National Park is one of the most important conservation areas in the Wallacea region, consisting of mangroves, savannah, peat swamps, lowland tropical rain forests and sub-montane forests. The Sembilang National Park in South Sumatra Province supports a unique estuarine environment as well as a coastal forest, lowland tropical forests, swamps, and peatlands. It provides the habitat for a number of endangered species. [Ramsar Press Release on Romania Site] [Ramsar Press Release on Indonesia Sites]